Environmental organisations are condemning intimidation from Bathurst Resources, after gunshots were fired near the activists, and a new threat was issued via Facebook Messenger by a Bathurst Resources employee. The matter has been reported to the New Zealand Police.
The threats come as the Climate Liberation Aotearoa protesters have reached 200 hours non-stop in the coal buckets, which is disrupting the operations of Stockton mine; the largest coal mine in NZ.
350 Aotearoa co-director Alva Feldmeier says: “It’s incredible that two brave activists have disrupted the mine’s operation for 200 hours and counting. Bathurst’s proposed Denniston coal mine would spew climate pollution equivalent to New Zealand’s entire annual emissions.
“We all deserve a just transition away from boom and bust coal that delivers safe, stable jobs that can be relied on for decades to come. Unfortunately, Bathurst’s agents are choosing to sow fear and silence dissent with intimidation.
“Thousands of people have signed the petition – including many west coast locals – demonstrating broad opposition to coal mining on the Denniston Plateau. This is not surprising. When Luxon’s government insists on fast-tracking environmental destruction and excluding local communities from having a say, then of course people will rise up to defend the life-sustaining places they care about.”
Greenpeace Aotearoa’s Gen Toop says: “These intimidation tactics show just how desperate the coal industry has become. Instead of accepting that coal has no future, they’re trying to silence dissent. But threats like this won’t change the fact that peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right in Aotearoa.”
“If Bathurst thinks they can use underhanded tactics to make New Zealanders walk away from that right, they clearly aren’t across this nation’s history.”
Coal Action Network Aotearoa’s Cindy Baxter says: “From trashing the Denniston Plateau to causing asthma in children and ultimately adding to climate change: coal poses an existential threat to the world we live in. It’s pretty sad that Bathurst Resources employees are now adding to their company’s threat risk by going after peaceful protestors.”
The warning shots were fired at 2:30pm on Tuesday 5 August. The most recent threat from the Bathurst resources employee was messaged to Climate Liberation Aotearoa, and reads:
‘Angry, upset locals have been busy collecting information on you, your organisation and on those within our community that may have assisted you in your recent industrial sabotage. I would strongly suggest that it would not be very wise for any of you to be seen within our district over the next few months, years, or if at all ever.‘
The name of the Bathurst Resources employee has been withheld to preserve their anonymity. A Complaint has been made to the New Zealand Police.
Bathurst Resources has a history of threatening behaviour. Further information, verification and details about this and former threats from Bathurst employees are available upon request.
